God Works

 

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

GOD WORKS

1 Cor 12:1-6

12:1 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

NIV

There are some very interesting words here in Paul’s introduction of explaining the gifts that are a result of being a believer. First, the Greek word translated as a gift is charisma, which is where we get this idea of those who are called charismatic or those who employ many of the verbal gifts of the Spirit, tongues, interpretation, and prophecy. It is interesting, there are six other of these special types of gifts that are spoken of yet the Charismatic usually focuses on these three. It is also interesting that those who are not considered as Charismatic of Pentecostal avoid at all costs these gifts, in fact, it would seem most of the post-modern holiness churches are not interested in having God manifest his gifts in them. This is just an observation, not a judgment. However, we are at this place in this letter where the gifts are at the forefront of Paul’s instructions. Of course, there was a wild willy type of gift-getting going on in Corinth. That is to say, the manifestations of the gifts may have been out of hand, in that there was no order, or perhaps more in control of man, then of the Spirit. Paul wants them and us to know the Spirit is the one working or manifesting the gifts. This idea of being influenced by mute idols or God makes all the difference in the world. If we are speaking as influenced by the Spirit we would never curse Jesus, but also we would always be saying that Jesus is Lord. Unless a person is influenced by the Spirit, they cannot say that Jesus is Lord. Perhaps they might be able to actually say those words, but if they are not a believer under the influence of the Spirit, it is not from their heart, it is mere words. Now, about those three Greek words translated as gifts, service, and workings. These three words are actually gifts, administrations, and operations. Charisma, diakonia, and energeema. We can see how we get the word deacon, and engineer from the Greek words translated as service and workings. It is interesting how God uses different aspects in order to do his work in us through his Charisma. The Greek word that is used to say that the same God works all of them in all men is the same root as energeema, but in a different form so as to mean at work, doing the work, putting forth the power. This is to say that we cannot muster up or conjure up the gifts as if we are in control. That would sort of being like getting gifts or presents from someone that we went out and bought for ourselves, then wrapped them up and put somebody's name on it as if they gave it to us. No, we cannot do that with the gifts of the Spirit for it is completely up to God to put forth the power, the working of his gifts within whosoever He decides to do the work with which gifts and when to do that work. This is all God and none of the man, except we are the recipients of the work of God within us.